Closing arguments in murder trial

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This article was published 05/08/2023 (934 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Court of King’s Bench judge has reserved his decision after a 16-day trial for two people accused in a 2021 fatal stabbing in Winnipeg.

Wendell John Boulanger, 44, died of a stab wound to the chest Jan. 28, 2021, in his home on Craig Street.

The Crown urged Justice Jeffrey Harris to convict Issa Musa of first-degree murder in a case the prosecution framed as a planned robbery with deadly consequences.

Musa, an admitted drug dealer, was 27 at the time of Boulanger’s death. He’s accused of stabbing Boulanger while attempting to restrain the victim and other occupants at 521 Craig St., so he could steal from them, Crown prosecutor Shane Smith argued this week.

Diedra Goodwin is co-accused on charges of robbery and forcible confinement, and is accused of being an accessory to aggravated assault.

The Crown argues Goodwin was essentially acting as a “bouncer,” preventing people from leaving the room when Boulanger was stabbed.

She was 19 at the time of her arrest, which occurred nearly seven months after the homicide.

Goodwin is on bail; Musa is being held in custody.

Defence lawyers presented their closing arguments Friday.

Goodwin’s lawyer, Kristen Jones, argued for an acquittal on all charges against her client.

Musa’s lawyers argued the Crown had failed to prove the man had the intent necessary to be found guilty of murder.

Both teams pointed to what they argued are holes in the Crown’s case and urged the judge to properly determine witness credibility.

The Crown’s only direct eyewitness to the stabbing, David Watts, claimed at trial he didn’t remember anything that happened that day.

Watts had told police he was in the room, tied up, when Boulanger was stabbed. Musa then tied up Boulanger and a third occupant, leaving Boulanger in a pool of blood, according to some of the testimony.

The third occupant testified he didn’t see the stabbing because he was only called into the room after the other two men had already been subdued.

“He killed Wendell Boulanger because Wendell would not co-operate. He would not be confined,” Smith argued, suggesting the case is about Musa’s need to be in control.

When he was brought into court to testify, and later to be cross-examined, Watts replied to all defence questions about the incident by saying he couldn’t remember.

“I’ve already told you I don’t remember that day, so every question you ask me, it’s gonna be the same question (sic),” Watts said on the stand Aug. 3, in response to a cross-examination question from Musa’s defence lawyer, Adam Hodge.

“Is it possible you didn’t witness a stabbing?” Hodge asked.

“Possible, yep,” Watts responded.

“Is it possible you lied to police when you said that you had?” the lawyer said.

“Doubt it,” the witness replied.

The judge will deliver his decision at a later date. The case is set to appear back in court Oct. 3.

katie.may@winnipegfreepress.com